Artistic Civic Theatre to present ‘clever’ humor through satirical musical

Published 1:57 pm Friday, March 14, 2025

When the Artistic Civic Theatre (ACT) premieres its newest production — the satirical musical comedy “Urinetown” — this weekend, director Allen Bishop said audience members will be “smiling the entire way through.”

“There’s no better way to enjoy a live performance with a group of people, and they’re going to have a great time laughing together,” Bishop said. “They’re going to walk out humming the music because the music’s fantastic and very memorable. It’s clever and it’s entertaining.”

Presentations of the production on the Mashburn Stage in the Martin Theater at 907 Gaston St. are on Saturday, March 15, at 7:30 p.m.; Sunday, March 16, at 2 p.m.; and March 20-22 at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $19 for adults, $17 for senior citizens and $14 for children and students. ACT member discounts are available. Tickets and memberships can be purchased by visiting https://www.artisticcivictheatre.com/tickets.

Debuting on Broadway in 2001, “Urinetown” is a parody that “spoofs” several facets of American institutions, such as the “country’s financial system, legal system, capitalism, corporate mismanagement and municipal politics,” Bishop said.

The show also satirizes popular musicals, including “Les Misérables,” “The Threepenny Opera” and “The Cradle Will Rock.”

“It was really one of the first musical comedies to premiere after (the Sept. 11, 2011, terrorist attacks),” Bishop said. “It’s a show that helped New York, and the country, learn to laugh again. It’s one of my favorite shows of all time. It’s hilarious.”

Bishop said the production has a “purposefully questionable title.”

“That’s part of the joke,” he said. “The show itself couldn’t be any less offensive. I would probably call it a light PG rating; it’s very unoffensive.”

The musical centers around lead character Bobby Strong, played by Dalton High School senior Hayden Poe, who lives in a dystopian future where a water shortage leads to a ban on restrooms and a monopoly on public amenities by the Urine Good Company, led by the corrupt Mr. Cladwell, played by longtime ACT actor Ted Long.

“Overall, there are 19 cast members and six crew members,” Bishop said. “Bobby eventually falls in love with Mr. Cladwell’s daughter Hope, who is played by fellow Dalton High senior Kinsley Stephens, and from there it’s a classic romantic comedy with a lot of hijinks and a revolution. It’s a ton of fun, and it’s one of the funniest shows you’ll ever see.”

Bishop said for many Daltonians this may be one of Poe’s and Stephens’ final productions in town before graduating in May. In 2024, both were named All-State Thespians and represented the school system at the Georgia Thespian Conference in Columbus in February.

“Audiences will want to catch those really talented actors before they head off to bigger things, because they will no doubt be big,” Bishop said. “We’ve got great talent regionally as well as from all over, including Adam Stark, who plays Police Officer Lockstock. Adam has been a longtime actor and collaborator at the ACT as well.”

This musical marks the first for Bishop in the director’s position after previously working on productions for the theater. He said a standout of the ACT’s rendition of “Urinetown” is the choreography led by Jessica McCuiston, Christian Heritage School’s fine arts director.

“It’s incredible,” Bishop said. “The choreography is bigger and bolder than anything we’ve done at ACT in the last couple of years. Jessica did a fantastic job.”